Letter to the Editor

Pioneer Press
Jan 17, 2023 at 2:56 pm 

Having a choice is a very good thing

Yahoo. Finally, Lake Foresters have a choice for mayor.

The Lake Forest Caucus, through its misguided process of ignoring the majority vote of the electorate, actually ended up helping out us voters. The caucus could have taken the high road and chosen both of two well-qualified candidates for mayor, but instead it doubled-down and is vigorously endorsing only one (Randy Tack, who was voted “no” by the general vote of residents attending the caucus). This maneuver left the runner-up (Prue Beidler) little choice but to run as an independent. Nonetheless, for us voters, having two choices on April’s ballot turns out to be a very good thing.

The caucus should update its selection process. Gone, I hope, are the days when mayoralties were handed down from one Lake Forest “aristocrat” to another. Instead, today’s caucus would do better to vet a field of possible elected officials, choose the best two candidates, give them each some campaign money, help them meet residents, explain themselves and ask for our vote, and then let us choose the best.

Last, I ask the caucus to stand down, remove criticisms of Ms. Beidler (1st Ward alderman 2014-2020) from its website and correspondence, and let Dr. Tack promote his own accomplishments as alderman (3rd Ward, 2012-2018). Both candidates deserve our respect as longtime volunteers, and especially for wanting to be mayor.

Rommy Lopat, Lake Forest